GUILTY NC - Kelly Culley, 42, shot to death, Taylorsville, 9 July 2009

N.C. couple, stopped for speeding and DWI, charged with woman's murder
By Steve Lyttle
slyttle@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Friday, Jul. 10, 2009
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Galax, Va.






A Taylorsville couple faces murder charges after police pulled over their vehicle Thursday morning in Virginia and found a woman's body inside.

The woman had been shot several times, police say.

Lisa Church Damron, 31, and her husband Jerry Wayne Damron, 42, have been charged by Taylorsville police with murder, as police say the woman was killed at the couple's home.

The Damrons also face multiple charges in Virginia related to their arrest.

And Jerry Wayne Damron already faced charges in connection with the death of his 8-year-old son last October, in a Hickory wreck in which Damron was accused of driving drunk.

Thursday's series of events began about 8:30 a.m. on Interstate 77, between Galax, Va., and Wytheville, Va.

The Damrons were northbound in a Ford Aerostar van when a Wythe County sheriff's deputy pulled them over near mile marker 30. The deputy said the van was traveling 85 mph in a 65 mph zone.

The deputy also charged the driver, Lisa Damron, with DWI. Her husband was charged with public drunkenness.

When police prepared to tow the van, they found the woman's body in the back, wrapped in a white sheet. The sheriff's office said the woman had been shot.

At that point, authorities charged Jerry Damron with felony transporting a body with intent to prevent detection of an unlawful act, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and three counts of carrying a concealed weapon. Police said they found three firearms in the vehicle.

Damron also was charged with felony assault on a police officer, which authorities said happened when he was being put in jail.

According to newspaper reports from last October, Jerry Wayne Damron was charged with felony death by vehicle, DWI and reckless driving in connection with a single-vehicle wreck in Catawba County. Damron's 8-year-old son died in that wreck, and four other children were seriously injured.

The identity of the woman found in the van Thursday has not been released, pending notification of relatives. An autopsy is being conducted in Roanoke, Va.

The Roanoke Times contributed.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/597/story/826496.html

Wow. Just wow. Totally lost for words...

Unbelievable...Why is human life not precious to these people? Disgusting.

I bet they sure were figity in the cop car and sitting around jail wondering when they would find the body :loser: .

Wow, just wow. What an astounding story.

What is going on in N.C. lately? I used to be so proud of my state.

teonspaleprincess said:

What is going on in N.C. lately? I used to be so proud of my state.

Click to expand...

I still am... but bad things are happening all over.

That poor little boy - 8 years old in a car with his drunk father now is dead for no reason.

Note to self: Do not speed when transporting a body.


So sad for the little son who was killed by his father's imprudent choice to drive drunk.... what was his short life like, with parents whose lives were ruled by alcohol? How many helpless children are in the same situation?

Not that I approve of tax evasion, etc, but let the non-violent people out of jails to make room for those who have shown they do not respect or intend to follow the law & are a threat to the rest of us.... Burris, killer in SC with a mile-long rap sheet, for example.... lock them up & throw away the key!

Authorities Find Body In Taylorsville Couple’s Van
Posted: 4:47 am EDT July 10, 2009
Updated: 5:42 pm EDT July 10, 2009

TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. -- A North Carolina couple is charged with first-degree murder after a deputy pulled over their van and found a woman's body inside.

Investigators said Lisa Damron, 31, was driving the van on Interstate 77 in Wythe County, Va. Her husband, Jerry, 42, was in the passenger seat. A deputy pulled over the van for speeding and charged Lisa Damron with driving under the influence shortly after 8:30 a.m. Friday.

The deputy then searched the van and found the body of a woman. Investigators said she was shot to death.

Authorities identified the woman as Kelly Cully, a former neighbor and friend of the couple.

Investigators said the woman was killed at the couple's home in Taylorsville, N.C. According to a warrant, Lisa Damron said the couple got into an argument while drinking with the woman and she heard several shots fired. She said she helped her husband wrap the woman’s body in a blanket and put it in the van. She said they were on their way to West Virginia to dump the body.

Jerry Damron was charged with driving while impaired and felony death by motor vehicle in a crash that killed his son last fall.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/20012025/detail.html

Murder suspects waive extradition, will return to North Carolina


Published: July 22, 2009

TAYLORSVILLE
A married couple that has been locked up in a Virginia jail since their arrest on DWI and weapons charges led to the discovery of the body of a Taylorsville woman hidden in the cargo area of their van is expected to be back in Alexander County this week.

Jerry and Lisa Damron have waived extradition and will go to court in North Carolina for first-degree murder before standing trial in Virginia for the assorted charges they were arrested for there, the Hickory Daily Record reported.

"Right now, the plan is to bring them back here on Friday," said Taylorsville Police Chief Tony Jones.

The Damrons were arrested July 9 on Interstate 77 in Wythe County, Va. Lisa Damron was at the wheel. Wythe County Sheriff's deputies stopped her for speeding and driving erratically, according to arrest reports.

A search of the van revealed three concealed guns and the body of a woman who was later identified as Kelly Ross Lynette Culley, 42, of Taylorsville.

In Wythe County, the Damrons were charged with felony transporting a dead body with malicious intent to prevent detection of an unlawful act. Lisa Damron, 31, was charged with DUI and reckless driving.

Jerry Damron, 42, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, three charges of having a concealed weapon, and one count of felony assault on a police officer that occurred while he was being jailed.

In a statement to police, Lisa Damron said her husband shot and killed Culley after an argument and the couple had planned to dispose of the body in West Virginia.

Jerry Damron also is awaiting trial for the Sept. 26, 2008, crash that killed his 8-year-old son, Hauston. Damron was charged with DWI and felony death by motor vehicle.

His wife and six children between the ages of 1 and 8 were in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Lisa Damron was charged with six counts of child abuse, aid and abet impaired driving, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of schedule II and IV controlled substances in connection with the accident.

The surviving children have been in the custody of the Department of Social Services since the September wreck.

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/...extradition-will-return-nort/news-ncpolitics/

It's stuff like this that makes me think it's a shame there isn't an ethical way to prevent some humans from reproducing.

And why wasn't Big Daddy sitting in the county lock-up until his trial for his son's death? If he had been, his latest victim would still be alive. You can't tell me he didn't have a prior record. Mama should have locked up with him given the charges against her.

The poor kids may as well be orphans. At least then they'd be eligible for permanent adoption instead of a childhood spent in state foster care.

From February 2011:

http://www.hickoryrecord.com/news/c...cle_6c705830-ef49-5bbf-9494-dcb4d2749ecc.html

An Alexander County couple pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the murder of a Taylorsville woman...

Jerry Dameron pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, in exchange for life in prison without parole. Lisa Damron pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, receiving a sentence of 12 years to 15 years and two months...

Investigators said the murder happened in Taylorsville, at the Damrons’ house on Sixth Street.... Culley got into an argument with Jerry, so Lisa went outside. She then heard three or four gunshots. Jerry told her they needed to get rid of the body in West Virginia.

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